Question of the Day

The holidays are just around the corner, do you start your holiday shopping early or are you a last minute shopper? When I was in retail and worked at the mall, I used to wait until the last minute and shop the week before to take advantage of all the sales, but now I seem to start much earlier and am done well in advance. My only problem is that I now wait until the last minute to wrap everything. Amy

major expenditures. No such luck this year, with relocating and finding a new job and then the surgery! Will have to brave the crowds, I guess, unless I start now. I intened to do a lot online this year, though.

I usually wait till the last minute. I don't buy as much as I used to I buy my childeren a few things to unwrap then give them money or gift cards. Unless they tell me something large that they want (within my budget). (The kids are 21, 23, 25 years old) I plan a day leave early in the morning and shop till I drop. Its funny, I remember my mom doing the same thing when I was growing up. usually on christmas eve... then she would be up all night wrapping.

Are you mad ???!! Online shopping only!!!! Flavia

Looks like it will be the last minute for me too this year. The bigger my kids seem to get the bigger the presents they are asking for! Elaine

On line only!

I used to shop really early - done by Halloween. When my kids got older I slowed down a bit - done by Thanksgiving. For the past 4 years, I buy some things early, but I LOVE to be one of the nuts in line at Best Buy or Circuit City at 2:30 AM the morning after Thanksgiving for their limited supply super buys. I love a great bargain! I've bought fully loaded computers for $400.00, 17" flat panel monitors for $125.00, brand name DVD players for $10.00, and lots more. Last year, I dragged my hubby along b/c I wanted to buy 3 of one of the "25 only" items and was afraid they would limit purchases to 1 or 2 each. He thinks I'm crazy, but loves the money I save while getting top of the line products for our family & friends. Vickie J.

This year I am an early shopper. But, I have bought things to make presents. As I have no children but I have neices and nephews with family that I helped raise, I decided to make gift jars. I found some large clear apple jars good for cookies and I am filling them up with Chicklets. I found a big big pkg of chicklets at Sams. Then the smaller kids are getting the 3/4 quart jar of gummy bears. The older kids will get skittles, jelly beans and chocolate. Now was a good time with the Halloween packaged candy out. (not sure the parents will be so excited about all that sugar but hoping they will control the portions.) I also found some good deals in the Avon sale catelog at work. So now I have about 4 people left and a bunch of presents to finish getting together. AND IT IS ALL PAID. Nothing on the credit card this year. Last year I did the quart jar lights with potpourri. They were a hit. One year, if someone has the time and needs the idea, I made photo albums of my neices and nephews. They were teenagers at the time and it stopped the unwrapping of presents. Their children now love to look at the pictures in the ablum and it helped me go thru my pictures and use them for something that was appreciated. Each teenager got pictures of their parents around the time they were married and then I moved from their baby pictures forward. It also included grandparents and some of their younger pictures and school pictures as well as their brothers and sisters.

I start early but get a little at a time. So I am still buying some stuff at the last minute. I usually buy most of the toys on my list the day after thanksgiving. Yes, I am on line at 5:00 am at toys r us to get the deals. I also wait until the last minute to wrap because my kids still believe in Santa. So on Christmas Eve, after they go to bed, I wrap everything. Christine 307/232/150

We don't have kids in our family and we don't exchange presents most years. Every once in a while we do exchange, and then I just shop whenever. I've done the Thanksgiving Friday thing, but never got a DVD for $25, although I've heard people have died over the stampedes!!! Jan